Segmented media content rights management

ABSTRACT

Segmented media content rights management is described. A media device can receive segments of protected media content from media content streams that each include a different version of the protected media content. A media content file can be generated to include the segments of the protected media content that are sequenced to render the protected media content for viewing. A file header object can be instantiated in a file header of the media content file, where the file header object includes DRM-associated features, such as one or more DRM licenses, properties, and/or attributes that correspond to the media content file to provision all of the segments of the protected media content together.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/163,991, filed on Jun. 27, 2008, theentire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Users are able to access and/or obtain media content digitally, such asthrough subscription and pay-per-view services. Digital media contentthat is available from a content distribution service is licensed forsecurity and to protect it from unauthorized sharing, copying, and/ordistribution of the media content. Digital rights to restrict the use ofmedia content can be in the form of a license that is associated withthe media content.

In a digital rights management (DRM) system, various devices that obtainor download digital media content can perform actions on the protectedmedia content as permitted by a DRM license. For example, the variousdevices can include any type of portable communication device, mobilephone, music device, or television client device which can performactions such as to render, playback, copy, print, execute, consume,and/or other actions on the protected media content. The DRM licenseprovides the rights and restrictions of the actions performed on theprotected media content.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts of segmentedmedia content rights management. The simplified concepts are furtherdescribed below in the Detailed Description. This summary is notintended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter,nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimedsubject matter.

Segmented media content rights management is described. Inembodiment(s), a media device can receive segments of protected mediacontent from media content streams that each include a different versionof the protected media content. A media content file can be generated toinclude the segments of the protected media content that are sequencedto render the protected media content for viewing. A file header objectcan be instantiated in a file header of the media content file, wherethe file header object includes DRM-associated features, such as one ormore DRM licenses, properties, and/or attributes that correspond to themedia content file to provision all of the segments of the protectedmedia content together.

In other embodiment(s), segments of the protected media content that arereceived as different versions of the protected media content can beidentified, and then replaced with replacement segments that are a sameversion of the protected media content. The media content file can thenbe generated to include the replacement segments that are the sameversion of the protected media content. The replacement segments thatare the same version of the protected media content and included in themedia content file can also be provisioned by one or more DRM licensesthat are included in the file header object. A segment of protectedmedia content in the media content file can include a segment header andcorresponding segment data that together form a file fragment. A filefragment can include one or more track objects where each track objectincludes additional DRM-associated features that correspond to the filefragment.

In other embodiment(s), a content distributor can distribute segments ofprotected media content from media content streams that each include adifferent version of the protected media content. The segments of theprotected media content can then be sequenced in a media content file torender the protected media content for viewing at a media device. Alicense server can provide DRM-associated features, such as one or moreDRM licenses, properties, and/or attributes that are included with afile header object in a file header of the media content file. TheDRM-associated features correspond to the media content file toprovision all of the segments of the protected media content together.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of segmented media content rights management are describedwith reference to the following drawings. The same numbers are usedthroughout the drawings to reference like features and components:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system in which embodiments of segmentedmedia content rights management can be implemented.

FIG. 2 illustrates another example system in which embodiments ofsegmented media content rights management can be implemented.

FIG. 3 illustrates example method(s) for embodiments of segmented mediacontent rights management.

FIG. 4 illustrates various components of an example device that canimplement embodiments of segmented media content rights management.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of segmented media content rights management provide that amedia device, such as a television client device or portable musicdevice, can receive segments of protected media content from mediacontent streams that each include a different version of the same mediacontent. The different versions of the same media content (e.g., amovie) can be distributed with varying parameters, such as differentresolutions, quality, bit rate, and the like. For example, a movie maybe distributed from a content distributor in several different versions,or formats, to accommodate the different rendering capabilities of thevarious types of media devices that a consumer or subscriber utilizes towatch the movie. The movie can be distributed in high-definition for atelevision client device that can render high-definition video fordisplay on an HDTV, for example. The movie can also be distributed instandard-definition for processing and display on a portable computer,for example. In addition, the movie can be distributed in alow-definition or other minimal resolution format for display on aportable hand-held device.

A content distributor can segment the different media content streams ata uniform interval across all of the different media content streams,such as in two-second “slices”, which may be referred to as segmentedstreaming. A client device or media device can then acquire or receivesegments of the media content from any of the different media contentstreams. For example, a laptop computer may be connected via a cablemodem to receive segments of a movie in high-definition from a mediacontent stream. While watching the movie, a user may then move outsideand connect the laptop computer wirelessly to continue watching themovie. Because of a decrease in available bandwidth, the laptop computercan continue to receive segments of the movie in standard-definitionfrom a different media content stream. If the signal degrades further,the laptop computer can then continue to receive segments of the moviein a low-definition format from yet another different media contentstream. The media device (e.g., the laptop computer in this example)will then have received segments of the protected media content (e.g.,the movie) in different versions from any number of the different mediacontent streams.

In various embodiments described herein, a media content file can begenerated at the media device that includes the segments of theprotected media content from the different media content streams. Thesegments are sequenced in the media content file to render the protectedmedia content for viewing as a contiguous file. To preclude having toobtain or acquire a multitude of digital rights management (DRM) keys,or having different DRM licenses for each different segment and/orstream of protected media content, a file header object can beinstantiated in a file header of the media content file, and the fileheader object includes DRM-associated features, such as one or more DRMlicenses, properties, attributes, and/or other information thatcorresponds to the media content file to provision all of the segmentsof the protected media content together. The media device can thenseamlessly render all of the segments of a movie without managing amultitude of DRM licenses for the different versions of the mediacontent segments.

When a media device has obtained all of the segments of the protectedmedia content, such as a movie, the media device can save the protectedmedia content and/or communicate the media content file to anotherdevice as a renderable file. In other embodiments, the segments of theprotected media content that are received as different versions of theprotected media content can be identified, and then replaced withreplacement segments that are a same version of the protected mediacontent. For example, the standard-definition and low-definitionsegments of media content can be replaced with high-definition segmentsof the media content. In another example, the segments of the protectedmedia content that are the different versions can be replaced with aleast number of replacement segments.

The media content file can then be generated (e.g., re-generated,updated, etc.) to include the replacement segments that are the sameversion of the protected media content. The replacement segments can allbe the same version of the protected media content and included in themedia content file. The replacement segments can also be provisioned bythe DRM-associated features, such as one or more DRM licenses,properties, attributes, and/or other information that is included in thefile header object.

While features and concepts of the described systems and methods forsegmented media content rights management can be implemented in anynumber of different environments, systems, and/or variousconfigurations, embodiments of segmented media content rights managementare described in the context of the following example systems andenvironments.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 100 in which various embodiments ofsegmented media content rights management can be implemented. In thisexample, system 100 includes a content distributor 102 that communicatesor otherwise provides media content to any number of various mediadevices via communication network(s) 104. The various media devices caninclude wireless media devices 106 as well as other media devices 108(e.g., wired and/or wireless client devices) that are implemented ascomponents in various client systems 110. In a media contentdistribution system, the content distributor 102 facilitates thedistribution of media content, protected media content, contentmetadata, and/or other associated data to multiple viewers, users,customers, subscribers, viewing systems, and devices.

The communication network(s) 104 can be implemented to include any typeof data network, voice network, broadcast network, an IP-based network,a wide area network (e.g., the Internet), and/or a wirelesscommunications network 112 that facilitates media content distribution,as well as data and/or voice communications between the contentdistributor 102 and any number of the various media devices. Thecommunication network(s) 104 can also be implemented using any type ofnetwork topology and/or communication protocol, and can be representedor otherwise implemented as a combination of two or more networks. Anyone or more of the arrowed communication links facilitate two-waycommunications, such as from the content distributor 102 to a mediadevice 108 (e.g., a television client device) and vice-versa.

The content distributor 102 can include media content servers 114 thatare implemented to receive media content for distribution to subscribermedia devices. The content distributor 102 can receive media content 116from various content sources, such as a content provider, an advertiser,a national television distributor, and the like. The content distributor102 can communicate or otherwise distribute media content 116 and/orother data to any number of the various wireless media devices 106 andother media devices 108.

The media content 116 (e.g., to include recorded media content) caninclude any type of audio, video, and/or image media content receivedfrom any type of media content source. As described throughout, “mediacontent” can include television programs (or programming),advertisements, commercials, music, movies, video clips, and on-demandmedia content. Other media content can include interactive games,network-based applications, and any other audio, video, and/or imagecontent (e.g., to include program guide application data, user interfacedata, advertising content, closed captions data, content metadata,search results and/or recommendations, and the like).

In this example, the content distributor 102 includes a digital rightsmanagement (DRM) system 118 that can encrypt the media content 116 toform protected media content 120. The protected media content 120 caninclude any type of media content that is purchased, downloaded, orotherwise obtained, such as music, a movie, an application, a game,pictures, a video clip, and the like. The DRM system 118 includescontent server(s) 122 that distribute the protected media content 120 tothe various wireless media devices 106 and other media devices 108. TheDRM system 118 also includes a domain controller 124 and a licenseserver 126.

The domain controller 124 can manage device membership in a domain andissue domain certificates and private keys to devices that are membersof the domain. The domain controller 124 can maintain a current list ofmedia devices that are part of a particular user's domain, as well asthe public and private key pairs that have issued for the domain. Thelicense server 126 can issue DRM licenses which provision the rights andrestrictions of actions performed on the protected media content 120 bythe various media devices. In an implementation, the domain controller124 and the license server 126 can be managed by separate entities, orcan be implemented together in a domain. Although the content servers122, domain controller 124, and license server 126 are described asdistributed, independent components of the DRM system 118, any one ormore of the server(s) and controller(s) can be implemented together as amulti-functional component or entity of the system. In variousimplementations, domain membership can also be managed by a networkoperator, a third party entity, or by a user.

In this example, the content distributor 102 also includes storage media128 to store or otherwise maintain various data and media content, suchas media content 116, protected media content 120, media contentmetadata, and/or subscriber information. The storage media 128 can beimplemented as any type of memory, random access memory (RAM), read onlymemory (ROM), any type of magnetic or optical disk storage, and/or othersuitable electronic data storage. In addition, content distributor 102can be implemented with any number and combination of differingcomponents as further described with reference to the example deviceshown in FIG. 4.

The wireless media devices 106 can include any type of deviceimplemented to receive and/or communicate wireless data and voicecommunications, such as any one or combination of a mobile phone 130(e.g., cellular, VoIP, WiFi, etc.), a portable computer device 132, amedia device 134 (e.g., a personal media player, portable media player,etc.), and/or any other wireless media device that can receive mediacontent in any form of audio, video, and/or image data. Each of theclient systems 110 include a respective client device and display device136 that together render or playback any form of audio, video, and/orimage content, media content, protected media content, and/or televisioncontent.

A display device 136 can be implemented as any type of a television,high definition television (HDTV), LCD, or similar display system. Aclient device in a client system 110 can be implemented as any one orcombination of a television client device 138 (e.g., a televisionset-top box, a digital video recorder (DVR), etc.), a computer device140, a gaming system 142, an appliance device, an electronic device,and/or as any other type of client device that can be implemented toreceive television content or media content in any form of audio, video,and/or image data in a media content distribution system.

Any of the wireless media devices 106 and/or other media devices 108 canbe implemented with one or more processors, communication components,memory components, signal processing and control circuits, a DRMplatform, and a media content rendering system. A media device may alsobe associated with a user or viewer (i.e., a person) and/or an entitythat operates the device such that a media or client device describeslogical devices that include users, software, and/or a combination ofdevices.

In this example system 100, the content server(s) 122 of the DRM system118 distribute the protected media content 120 to the various wirelessmedia devices 106 and other media devices 108 as media content streams144 that each include a different version of the same protected mediacontent. For example, a movie that is subject to DRM can be distributedwith varying parameters, such as different resolutions, quality, bitrate, and the like. The movie can be distributed by the contentserver(s) 122 in several different versions, or formats, to accommodatethe different rendering capabilities of the various types of wirelessmedia devices 106 and other media devices 108. The protected mediacontent 120 can be distributed in high-definition with media contentstream 146 for television client device 138 that can renderhigh-definition video for display on an HDTV (e.g., display device 136).The protected media content 120 can also be distributed instandard-definition with media content stream 148 for processing anddisplay on portable computer device 132. In addition, the protectedmedia content 120 can also be distributed with media content stream 150in a low-definition or other minimal resolution format for display on aportable hand-held media device 134.

The content distributor 102, or a component or system thereof, cansegment the different media content streams at a uniform interval “t”(e.g., time in this example) across all of the different media contentstreams 144, such as in two-second “slices”, which may be referred to assegmented streaming. A media device can then acquire or receive segments152 of the protected media content 120 from any of the different mediacontent streams 144. For example, the portable computer device 132 maybe connected via a cable modem to receive segments (e.g., “segment 1”)of a movie in high-definition from media content stream 146.

While watching the movie, a user may then move outside and connect theportable computer device 132 wirelessly to continue watching the movie.Because of a decrease in available bandwidth, the computer device 132can continue to receive segments (e.g., “segments 2-3”) of the movie instandard-definition from a different media content stream 148. If thesignal degrades further, the computer device 132 can then continue toreceive segments (e.g., “segment 4”) of the movie in a low-definitionformat from yet another different media content stream 150. If thesignal improves, the computer device 132 can continue to receivesegments (e.g., “segment 5”) of the movie in standard-definition fromthe media content stream 148, and so on. The media device (e.g., theportable computer device in this example) will then have receivedsegments of the protected media content 120 in different versions fromany number of the different media content streams 144.

In one or more embodiments, a media content file 154 can be generated atthe media device that receives the various segments of the protectedmedia content 120. The media content file 154 includes a file header156, a file index 158, and multiple file fragments 160 that are formedby a segment header and corresponding segment data. For example, segmentheader “1” and corresponding segment data “1” together form filefragment 160 which includes the “segment 1” of the protected mediacontent 120 in high-definition from media content stream 146. Thesegments 1-5 et al. from the different media content streams 144 ofprotected media content 120 are sequenced in the media content file 154to render the protected media content for viewing as a contiguous file.The media content file 154 is further described with reference to themedia content file shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example system 200 in which various embodiments ofsegmented media content rights management can be implemented. In thisexample, system 200 includes the content distributor 102 and an exampleof a wired and/or a wireless media device 202, such as portable mediadevice 134 and television client device 138 as described with referenceto FIG. 1. System 200 also includes an example of a DRM system 204 thatis implemented apart from the content distributor 102 (e.g., on aseparate server or as a third-party service) which can implement thevarious embodiments described herein. The content distributor 102, DRMsystem 204, and media device 202 can all be implemented forcommunication with each other via the communication network(s) 104and/or the wireless communications network 112.

Media device 202 can be implemented with processing, communication, andmemory components, as well as signal processing and control circuits.Media device 202 may also be associated with a user or owner (i.e., aperson) and/or an entity that operates the device such that a mediadevice describes logical devices that include users, software, and/or acombination of devices. In this example, the media device 202 includesone or more processors 206 (e.g., any of microprocessors, controllers,and the like), media content inputs 208, and protected media content 210(e.g., received media content, media content that is being received,recommended media content, recorded media content, etc.). The mediacontent inputs 208 can include any type of wireless, broadcast, and/orover-the-air inputs via which media content and/or protected mediacontent is received.

Media device 202 can also include a device manager 212 and/or DRMplatform 214 (e.g., a control application, software application, signalprocessing and control module, etc.) that can be implemented ascomputer-executable instructions and executed by the processors 206 toimplement various embodiments and/or features of segmented media contentrights management as described herein. Media device 202 can also includea content rendering system 216 to receive and render the protected mediacontent 210. In addition, media device 202 can be implemented with anynumber and combination of differing components as further described withreference to the example device shown in FIG. 4.

Media device 202 can itself include a removable component that isassociated with a DRM license (e.g., the DRM license iscryptographically bound to the removable component). The removablecomponent can be a token of the media device 202, and the DRM license iscryptographically bound to the token of the device. The removablecomponent can be implemented as a flash card, a Subscriber IdentityModule (SIM) card, as a smart card, and/or as any other type of token ofthe media device 202 that is associated with the DRM license. Theremovable component can include a USIM (User Subscriber Identity Module)which is a logical entity on a card to store subscriber and/orauthentication information. For example, the DRM license may havevarious, associated license identifiers, such as a customer identifier,service identifier, and/or a domain identifier that, in any combination,authenticate the media device 202 to a domain controller and/or to alicense server of a DRM system and/or segmented media content rightsmanagement. The DRM license provides the rights and restrictions of theactions performed on the protected media content 210, such as to render,playback, copy, print, execute, consume, and/or other actions on theprotected media content.

System 200 also includes the media content file 154 described as anexample of the protected media content 210, and as described withreference to FIG. 1. To preclude having to obtain or acquire a multitudeof digital rights management (DRM) keys, or having different DRMlicenses for each different segment and/or stream of protected mediacontent, a file header object 218 can be instantiated in the file header156 of the media content file 154, and the file header object 218includes DRM-associated features 220, such as one or more DRM licenses,properties, attributes, and/or other information that corresponds to themedia content file 154 to provision all of the segments of the protectedmedia content together. The media device 202 can then seamlessly renderall of the segments of a movie, for example, without managing amultitude of DRM licenses for the different versions of the mediacontent segments.

In addition, a file fragment that is formed by a segment header andcorresponding segment data, such as file fragment 160, includes one ormore track objects 222. Each track object can also includeDRM-associated features, such as one or more DRM licenses, properties,attributes, and/or other information that is included in a track object.A file fragment 160 can include or be associated with an audio track, avideo track, and/or a combination thereof, and a track object 222corresponds to the audio track, video track, or combination of audiotrack(s) and/or video track(s) of a file fragment.

When the media device 202 has obtained all of the segments of theprotected media content 210, such as a movie, the media device can savethe protected media content and/or communicate the media content file154 to another device as a renderable file. In one or more embodiments,the segments of the protected media content 210 that are received asdifferent versions of the protected media content can be identified, andthen replaced with replacement segments that are a same version of theprotected media content. For example, the standard-definition andlow-definition segments of media content can be replaced withhigh-definition segments of the media content. In another example, thesegments of the protected media content that are the different versionscan be replaced with a least number of replacement segments.

The DRM platform 214 and/or the content rendering system 216 can thengenerate (e.g., re-generated, updated, etc.) the media content file 154to include the replacement segments that are the same version of theprotected media content. The replacement segments call all be the sameversion of the protected media content and included in the media contentfile. The replacement segments can also be provisioned by theDRM-associated features, such as one or more DRM licenses, properties,attributes, and/or other information that is included in the file headerobject.

The file header object 218 can be implemented as a DRM object andinclude file-level properties that are common for the various segmentsof the protected media content. In an implementation, a file headerobject can include:

Field Name Field Type Field Description Size unsigned int(32) Size ofthe Box Type unsigned int(32) Type of Box (4CC) Usertype unsignedint(8)[16] Type of Box (GUID) Version unsigned int(8) Version of Boxdefinition Flags unsigned int(24) Bit field of flags DataSize unsignedint(32) Specifies the size in bytes of the Data field. Data unsignedint(8) The content protection data for the object.

A track object 222 can also be implemented as a DRM object and includeDRM properties and attributes for a particular file fragment. A trackobject can contain information to decrypt elementary streams (e.g.,streams that are divided up into sequences of samples called encryptionruns). An encryption run can shares the same encryption algorithm, mode,and key. The encryption algorithm and mode can be expressed as indexesinto tables. In one instance, the encryption algorithm index is 0 (i.e.,“zero”), which indicates that the encryption run is not encrypted. In animplementation, a track object can include:

Field Name Field Type Field Description Size unsigned int(32) Size ofthe Box Type unsigned int(32) Type of Box (4CC) Usertype unsignedint(8)[16] Type of Box (GUID) Version unsigned int(8) Version of Boxdefinition Flags unsigned int(24) Bit field of flags EncryptionRununsigned int(8) Number of runs in fragment AlgorithmID unsigned int(4)Index into encryption algorithm table ModeID unsigned int(4) Index intoencryption mode table KID unsigned int(8)[16] Key ID for the key used toencrypt the run SampleCount unsigned int(32) Number of samples in runSampleID unsigned int(64) First sample Id of run

An algorithm defined for a track object is AES with algorithm ID=0x1 andthe mode defined is counter mode with Mode ID=0x1. In a case where thealgorithm ID=0x0, the entire run of samples is not encrypted and theMode Id is 0x0 and KID is all zeros.

Example method 300 is described with reference to FIG. 3 in accordancewith one or more embodiments of segmented media content rightsmanagement. Generally, any of the functions, methods, procedures,components, and modules described herein can be implemented usinghardware, software, firmware, fixed logic circuitry, manual processing,or any combination thereof. A software implementation of a function,method, procedure, component, or module represents program code thatperforms specified tasks when executed on a computing-based processor.Example method 300 may be described in the general context ofcomputer-executable instructions. Generally, computer-executableinstructions can include software, applications, routines, programs,objects, components, data structures, procedures, modules, functions,and the like.

The method(s) may also be practiced in a distributed computingenvironment where functions are performed by remote processing devicesthat are linked through a communication network. In a distributedcomputing environment, computer-executable instructions may be locatedin both local and remote computer storage media, including memorystorage devices. Further, the features described herein areplatform-independent such that the techniques may be implemented on avariety of computing platforms having a variety of processors.

FIG. 3 illustrates example method(s) 300 of segmented media contentrights management, and is described with reference to a media devicethat receives segmented, protected media content. The order in which themethod is described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, andany number of the described method blocks can be combined in any orderto implement the method, or an alternate method.

At block 302, segments of protected media content are received frommedia content streams that each include a different version of theprotected media content. For example, media device 202 receives segments152 of protected media content 120 from media content streams 144 thateach include a different version of the protected media content.

At block 304, a media content file is generated that includes thesegments of the protected media content that are sequenced to render theprotected media content for viewing. For example, content renderingsystem 216 at media device 202 generates media content file 154 thatincludes the segments 152 of the protected media content 120 that aresequenced to render the protected media content for viewing. In anembodiment, a segment of protected media content in the media contentfile 154 includes a segment header and corresponding segment data thattogether form a file fragment 160 which includes one or more trackobjects 222. Each of the track objects 222 can include DRM-associatedfeatures, such as one or more DRM licenses, properties, attributes,and/or other information that corresponds to the file fragment. A filefragment 160 can include an audio track, a video track, and/or acombination thereof, and a track object 222 corresponds to the audiotrack, video track, or combination of audio track(s) and/or videotrack(s) of the file fragment.

At block 306, a file header object is instantiated in a file header ofthe media content file and includes DRM-associated features thatcorrespond to the media content file. For example, DRM platform 214 atmedia device 202 instantiates file header object 218 in the file header156 of the media content file 154, and the file header object 218includes one or more DRM-associated features that correspond to themedia content file. The file header object 218 can include the one ormore DRM-associated features, such as one or more DRM licenses,properties, attributes, and/or other information to provision all of thesegments of the protected media content together in the media contentfile.

At block 308, segments of the protected media content are identifiedthat are received as different versions of the protected media content.For example, the content rendering system 216 at media device 202identifies the segments of the protected media content that are receivedas different versions of the protected media content. At block 310, thesegments that are the different versions of the protected media contentare replaced with replacement segments that are a same version of theprotected media content. For example, the content rendering system 216replaces the segments that are the different versions of the protectedmedia content with replacement segments that are a same version of theprotected media content.

At block 312, the media content file is generated to include thereplacement segments that are the same version of the protected mediacontent. For example, the content rendering system 216 generates themedia content file 154 to include the replacement segments that are thesame version of the protected media content. The replacement segmentsthat are the same version of the protected media content are provisionedby one or more DRM licenses that are associated with the media contentfile and included in the file header object.

FIG. 4 illustrates various components of an example device 400 that canbe implemented as any form of a communication, computing, electronic,and/or media device to implement various embodiments of segmented mediacontent rights management. For example, device 400 can be implemented asa computer device, server device, media device, content distributor,and/or as a DRM system as shown in FIG. 1 and/or FIG. 2.

Device 400 includes protected media content 402 and one or morecommunication interfaces 404 that can be implemented for any type ofdata and/or voice communication via communication network(s). Device 400also includes one or more processors 406 (e.g., any of microprocessors,controllers, and the like) which process various computer-executableinstructions to control the operation of device 400, and to implementembodiments of segmented media content rights management. Alternativelyor in addition, device 400 can be implemented with any one orcombination of hardware, firmware, or fixed logic circuitry that isimplemented in connection with signal processing and control circuitswhich are generally identified at 408.

Device 400 also includes computer-readable media 410, such as one ormore memory components, examples of which include a removable card, SIMcard, random access memory (RAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., any one ormore of a read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.),and a disk storage device. A disk storage device can include any type ofmagnetic or optical storage device, such as a hard disk drive, arecordable and/or rewriteable compact disc (CD), any type of a digitalversatile disc (DVD), and the like.

Computer-readable media 410 provides data storage mechanisms to storethe protected media content 402, as well as various device applications412 and any other types of information and/or data related tooperational aspects of device 400. For example, an operating system 414can be maintained as a computer application with the computer-readablemedia 410 and executed on the processors 406. The device applications412 can also include a device manager 416 and a DRM platform 418 thatcan implemented as a component of the device and configured to implementthe DRM techniques described herein. In this example, the deviceapplications 412 are shown as software modules and/or computerapplications that can implement various embodiments of segmented mediacontent rights management as described herein.

Device 400 can also include an audio, video, and/or image processingsystem 420 that provides audio data to an audio rendering system 422and/or provides video or image data to an external or integrated displaysystem 424. The audio rendering system 422 and/or the display system 424can include any devices or components that process, display, and/orotherwise render audio, video, and image data. In an implementation, theaudio rendering system 422 and/or the display system 424 can beimplemented as integrated components of the example device 400. Althoughnot shown, device 400 can include a system bus or data transfer systemthat couples the various components within the device. A system bus caninclude any one or combination of different bus structures, such as amemory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, a universal serialbus, and/or a processor or local bus that utilizes any of a variety ofbus architectures.

Although embodiments of segmented media content rights management havebeen described in language specific to features and/or methods, it is tobe understood that the subject of the appended claims is not necessarilylimited to the specific features or methods described. Rather, thespecific features and methods are disclosed as example implementationsof segmented media content rights management.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A computer storage device havingcomputer-executable instructions stored thereon that, responsive toexecution by a processor, perform a method comprising: receivingsegments of protected media content from media content streams, eachmedia content stream including a different version of the same protectedmedia content; generating a media content file that includes thereceived segments of the protected media content that are sequenced torender the protected media content for viewing as a contiguous file, thecontiguous file including at least two segments that are differentversions of the same protected media content; and instantiating a singlefile header object in a file header of the media content file, thesingle file header object including DRM-associated features thatcorrespond to the different versions of the same protected media contentin the media content file to provision all of the segments of theprotected media content together.
 2. The computer storage device asrecited in claim 1, wherein the different versions of the same protectedmedia content comprise protected media content with differentresolutions, different quality, or different bit rates.
 3. The computerstorage device as recited in claim 1, wherein the different versions ofthe same protected media content comprise protected media content withdifferent standards for rendering the protected media content.
 4. Thecomputer storage device as recited in claim 1, wherein the protectedmedia content comprises video content, and wherein the segments of theprotected media content include at least two of a high-definition videosegment, a standard-definition video segment, or a low-definition videosegment.
 5. The computer storage device as recited in claim 1, wherein asegment of protected media content in the media content file includes asegment header and corresponding segment data that together form a filefragment which includes one or more track objects, each track objectincluding additional DRM-associated features that correspond to the filefragment.
 6. The computer storage device as recited in claim 5, whereinthe file fragment includes at least one of an audio track or a videotrack, and wherein a track object corresponds to at least one of theaudio track or the video track.
 7. The computer storage device asrecited in claim 1, wherein the DRM-associated features include one ormore DRM licenses in the single file header object to provision all ofthe segments of the protected media content together in the mediacontent file.
 8. The computer storage device as recited in claim 1,wherein the computer-executable instructions, responsive to execution bythe processor, perform a method further comprising: identifying segmentsof the protected media content that are received as different versionsof the same protected media content; replacing the segments that are thedifferent versions of the same protected media content with replacementsegments that are a same version of the protected media content; andgenerating the media content file to include the replacement segmentsthat are the same version of the protected media content.
 9. Thecomputer storage device as recited in claim 1, wherein the replacementsegments that are the same version of the protected media content areprovisioned by one or more DRM licenses that are associated with themedia content file and included in the single file header object.
 10. Amethod comprising: distributing segments of protected media content frommedia content streams that each include a different version of the sameprotected media content, the segments of the protected media contentbeing sequenced in a media content file to render the protected mediacontent for viewing at a media device as a single contiguous file thatincludes at least two segments that are different versions of the sameprotected media content; and providing DRM-associated features that areincluded with a single file header object in a file header of the mediacontent file, the DRM-associated features corresponding to the differentversions of the same protected media content in the media content fileto provision all of the segments of the protected media contenttogether.
 11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the differentversions of the same protected media content comprise protected mediacontent with different resolutions, different quality, or different bitrates.
 12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the differentversions of the same protected media content comprise protected mediacontent with different standards for rendering the protected mediacontent.
 13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the protectedmedia content comprises video content, and wherein the segments of theprotected media content include at least two of a high-definition videosegment, a standard-definition video segment, or a low-definition videosegment.
 14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein theDRM-associated features include one or more DRM licenses in the singlefile header object to provision all of the segments of the protectedmedia content together in the media content file.
 15. The method asrecited in claim 10, wherein a segment of protected media contentincludes a segment header and corresponding segment data that togetherform a file fragment which includes one or more track objects, eachtrack object including additional DRM-associated features thatcorrespond to the file fragment.
 16. The method as recited in claim 15,wherein the file fragment includes at least one of an audio track or avideo track, and wherein a track object corresponds to at least one ofthe audio track or the video track.
 17. The method as recited in claim10, further comprising receiving a request to replace the segments thatare different versions of the same protected media content withreplacement segments that are a same version of the protected mediacontent in the media content file.
 18. The method as recited in claim17, wherein the replacement segments that are the same version of theprotected media content are provisioned by one or more DRM licenses thatare associated with the media content file and included in the singlefile header object.
 19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein aversion of the protected media content correlates to a standard forrendering the protected media content, and wherein the replacementsegments that are the same version of the protected media contentcorrelate to the same standard for rendering the protected mediacontent.
 20. A system comprising: one or more processors; and one ormore memory devices storing program instructions that are executable bythe one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receivingfirst segments of video content in a standard-definition format from afirst video content stream; receiving second segments of the same videocontent in a lower-definition format from a second video content streamresponsive to a decrease in available bandwidth; receiving thirdsegments of the same video content in a higher-definition format from athird video content stream responsive to an increase in availablebandwidth; generating a media content file that includes at least two ofa first segment of the video content in the standard-definition format,a second segment of the same video content in the lower-definitionformat, and a third segment of the same video content in thehigher-definition format, the at least two of the first segment, thesecond segment, and the third segment sequenced to render the protectedmedia content for viewing as a contiguous file; and instantiating asingle file header object in a file header of the media content file,the single file header object including DRM-associated features thatcorrespond to the different formats of the same video content in themedia content file to provision all of the segments in the protectedmedia content together.